The First Monday in May

Today is fashion's biggest night, and I couldn't be more excited. The Met Gala takes place today at the Metropolitan Museum in New York City to open up the season's fashion exhibit at the Costume Institute. Each year the theme of the Met Gala is based on the content of the exhibit, and this year's Notes on Camp could literally not be better. In my opinion camp and high fashion go hand in hand. I mean what is not to love about feathers, fur, glitter, sequins, 20-foot trains, excessive headpieces, outrageous silhouettes and over the top everything? The best part of camp though, is that is makes bad taste so good. What could be better than getting to wear something just for fun, not because it's tasteful or flattering? My five year old self is LIVING for this. Basically camp = extra. Many celebrities really brought their A-game fashion-wise, and others look like they're attending the Daytime Television Awards...yawn. Here are some of the standouts of the night.







So Lady Gaga wore four different looks in a reported fifteen minutes.
I mean, of course she did. This first look in hot pink features a 25-foot train. I love it! All three looks by Brandon Maxwell.








Lady Gaga's second look. Please note the eyelashes which were apparently handmade by her makeup artist. I need to a minion to handcraft eyelashes for me when I'm feeling extra. I love how the body of this gown is fairly simple and classic, but then the enormous side panel situation is thrown in there. I also need to make note of her tiny hairbows, perhaps a throwback to her original hairbow of circa 2008.








Look #3 might be my favorite. This is giving me major Barbie vibes, and what is Barbie if not a camp icon? Certainly she's been one of my icons in the past! Okay, maybe a little still in the present. I love the giant sunglasses ( Linda Farrow) and the massive nineties phone, which is actually a purse by Judith Leiber.







The final look. This is a bit of a let down for me. I mean it's a bra and undies, which we have seen her wear numerous times, and done in much more interesting ways. I do like her little Haus of Gaga wagon which appears to contain pink cowboy hats, rose wine, and perfume. I just feel like this is what I saw Gaga wearing ten years ago when her budget was a fraction of what it is now, and she is much more evolved than a bra and undies. Perhaps it's a throwback look? I mean it would be pretty badass to do an homage to herself.




Kylie and Kendall Jenner both in Versace

Some people compared these looks to Vegas showgirls, and I do get a little of that vibe, which I don't mind, and is definitely camp. However, I am getting a much stronger sea creature vibe, specifically the Spanish shawl nudibranch, as seen below. I love a good marine critter inspiration, so I am definitely into these looks, but my favorite of the two is Kendall in the orange.










Celine Dion in Oscar de la Renta

Ah Celine, so weird, but so good. MAJOR Vegas showgirl vibes, which is perfect since she is an iconic Vegas showgirl. Working your strengths is always a good choice.










JLo in Versace

Another iconic diva werking the pink carpet. I actually like the back more than the front of this. The belt detail is a signature of Versace and I love it. The oversized paillettes trailing down the train are so beautiful and along with the glitter wig give a camp vibe. My only critique is that I am not a fan of too much squished boobs.






Kacey Musgraves in Moschino x Barbie

I would argue that Kacey Musgraves has not reached icon status yet, but showing up at the Met Gala as one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE icons, Barbie, is an excellent start on the road to becoming iconic. My favorite part might be the hair dryer purse! So camp.




 Cardi B in Thom Browne

Many comparisons to blood cells have been made, but I am getting more of a quilted sleeping bag 
vibe and I love it. There are about a billion or so rooster feathers trimming this ensemble and apparently some pricey rubies on her nipples. I really think that at the end of the night they should have asked Cardi to borrow this to be a part of the exhibit.


 
 Gemma Chan in Tom Ford

I do love this look overall, and Tom Ford can really do no wrong, but the headpiece is what truly makes this outfit. Without it, it would just be a beautiful dress with a cape.


 
 Nicki Minaj in Prabal Gurung
I do really wish that there a bit more of her boobs covered, but overall I do like the Marie Antoinette vibes she's giving here. The pink hair to match is a very camp touch and I like it.





Gigi Hadid in Michael Kors
Silver! Sequins! Feathers! A cape! A cap! It's very on theme which I love, and Gigi hasn't always gone all out with the theme in past years so this is fun to see. I'm getting some David Bowie/Elton John vibes which of course I love.




Kim Kardashian in Thierry Mugler
Some people claim that because this "dress" has crystals dripping from it meant to look like water droplets it is camp. To me it doesn't read camp at all, instead I am getting the same thing Kim always gives us: naked. I'm over it, please show us something new. And also please please start wearing things that fit your boobs! The creation of a double boob situation holds very little appeal to me at all. Also, we are all now aware of her ability to wear a corset or waist-trainer or whatever. NEXT PLEASE. As a side note I will show her after party look below because, while of course still being very slutty it's also very camp, and is a little more interesting to me. I wish she would just show up in a loofah style massive pouffy dress up to her chin. Just to change things up bit.











Serena Williams in Versace
This is one of my favorites of the night! Gorgeous colours with the pink and yellow together and I do love a floral applique. I love how the dress is very crazy and exaggerated, but still flattering to her body. I chose this shot because she was unfortunately wearing neon yellow Nike high tops underneath her dress, and was showing then off like she was being paid to do so, and that kinda killed the whole vibe of the gown for me.   

Billy Porter in The Blondes
Now this is a true queen. Channeling the Egyptian goddess Isis and also serving phoenix rising from the ashes, this look perhaps wins the Met Gala. Especially since he he was carried in on a chariot by a bunch of shirtless bronzed men.

The 91st Academy Awards

This year the Oscars were presented without a host. To me this was a huge mistake, resulting in very few laughs and a much shorter ceremony. That being said, some of the fashion was really good. Here are my thoughts on the red carpet offerings this year.




Angela Bassett in Reem Acra

Pink was the it colour on the red carpet this year, and no one did it better than Angela Bassett. The bold colour paired with the shoulder bow and the sleek hair is a winning combination.


 

 Amy Adams in Versace
Amy Adams usually brings it on the red carpet in figure hugging looks, and this was no exception. I love this whole look on her. The cream colour is a welcome change from all the beaded nude gowns we usually see, and looks very flattering against her skin. I also love that she went with an Art Deco style diamond necklace to finish off the look.





Lady Gaga in Alexander McQueen

From the waist up I love this look. The hip pads and the dropped waist skirt are not my favorite though. However, I feel like this is a very Gaga red carpet look. She likes to add that element of weird. Her enormous canary diamond from Tiffany's was last worn by Audrey Hepburn, and it might be the most impressive jewel I have seen any star wear on the red carpet, so that sort of makes up for any part of her look that I don't love.


 

 Lady Gaga in Brandon Maxwell

In true Gaga fashion, she changed her outfit for the ceremony and her performance with Bradley Cooper. I actually prefer this dress, it's so classic and simple, letting her enormous diamond and her Oscar really stand out.










Charlize Theron in Dior

I know this look was on a lot of best dressed lists, but it was a miss for me. The turtleneck and the puffed sleeves are too severe and something very bad is happening in the boob area with the darts. I think it's for a movie role, but I hate her brown hair! Stick to the blonde please. I do have to point out her Bulgari Serpenti necklace, though, which I am completely obsessed with. I wish she would have left off the middle strand though, and let the snake be more of a statement on its own. 







Michelle Yeoh in Elie Saab

This is princess gown perfection. I don't usually like the princess-style gowns as much but this one is simply gorgeous. The slightly off-the-shoulder neckline is so flattering and I love all the silver applique.







Emilia Clarke in Balmain

This is one of my very favorite looks from the night. I love the slight eighties vibe, the draping, and the colour is so gorgeous. The only thing I don't like is her hair! This haircut is terrible, but you almost don't even notice because the dress is so good.







Maya Rudolph in Giambattista Valli

Here we have another interpretation of the pink trend. This looks like bathroom wallpaper from the eighties, you know, to match the dust ruffle in the bedroom. I love a good cape, but this literally looks like she took some old sheets from her grandmother and tied it around her shoulders. This poor woman always looks like such a mess on the red carpet, she needs to fire her stylist.






 




                                                                                                                           















Constance Wu in Versace

This is another of my favorites from the night, so gorgeous. This yellow shade is hard for some people to wear, but it looks amazing on her. I love the off-the-shoulder neckline and the flutter sleeves. She was clearly loving this dress herself, too, because in most of the pictures she was twirling!


 

 Jennifer Lopez in Tom Ford

 JLo is perfection as usual. Slaying the red carpet at almost 50 years old, and putting the 20 year olds to shame, she looks like a sexy disco ball.




Rachael Weisz in Givenchy

This dress is just so weird...I don't understand what is going on here at all. The red pleather top is so odd, and giving a very weird proportion to her body. She should feel relieved that she didn't win the Oscar in this dress. Instead she can send it back to the designer and pretend it never happened.














 Gemma Chan in Valentino

The only thing I like about this is the colour. There is nothing flattering about this, it's just way too much. I'm very curious as to what is happening underneath this gown. Is she sneaking people into the Oscars? Hiding snacks? Does she have her entire after party look on underneath? Or her PJs? Is she wearing Uggs or flip flops? Who knows? For now it will remain a mystery.



 

Emma Stone in Louis Vuitton

I was very torn about this one. On the one hand, I love the colour, it's almost a dark bronze metallic. On the other hand, though, after much scrutiny I don't love the winged shoulders. I think if they were a little softer, or scaled down it would have worked for me. Definitely not a worst dressed, but not my favorite either.


 

Helen Mirren in Schiaparelli

Another pink lady! I love this colour on her. The flowy skirt is beautiful, and of course her diamonds are perfection.



 The Vanity Fair Oscars After Party always has some showstopping gowns as well, so I wanted to showcase a few of those too.





Hailee Steinfeld in Elie Saab

I absolutely love this coral mini dress. All the applique flowers and feathers are so gorgeous, and perfect of a short dress. The coral is shade is actual the official Pantone colour of 2019, so it's just perfect!




Jennifer Lopez in Zuhair Murad

Ah JLo, killing it again. She doesn't often wear this colour, but I think it looks great. I love the gorgeous fan detailing, very Art Deco. The fact that she changed her hair to go with her dress is icing on the cake. 




Rosie Huntington-Whiteley in Versace

I love the futuristic vibe of this gown. She often opts for metallic gowns, and this one is perfection. 


 

Kendall Jenner in Rami Kadi

This is so vulgar and tacky to me. I mean, can this even be classified as a dress? Or would be call it a loin cloth? She wins overall worst dressed of the night. 

Golden Globes 2019

Awards season has officially begun! The Golden Globes took place in Los Angeles on Sunday night, and while the ceremony itself was a bit of a let down, the red carpet always provides lots of entertainment. Here are my picks for best and worst dressed.

The Best


 
 Lupita Nyong'o in Calvin Klein

I love this dress on her. The simple silhouette is the perfect canvas for the cascading beads. The full effect of the dress is showcased when she walks, with all the beading swaying and catching the light. The colour is gorgeous too. Overall, a win.




Julia Roberts in Stella McCartney

I love a good pair of pants on the red carpet, and this jumpsuit is perfection! The satin pants contrasted with the tulle top and over-skirt really works for her. I feel like we haven't seen a lot of Julia on the red carpet in the last few years, but I hope we see more in the future.










 Sandra Oh in Atelier Versace

I love this gown. White is always a good colour choice for the red carpet, and it doesn't wash people out like a lot of the popular nude shades do. The asymmetrical shoulder and draping is beautiful, and I think this is a perfect choice.




 

 Allison Janney in Christian Siriano

I know this look won't be a favorite for everyone, but I think she looks amazing. This colour is not usually a favorite of mine (tacky bridesmaids come to mind), but I love it here. The drapey off the shoulder neckline is beautiful, and the necklace is to die for!!! This gives me some Studio 54 vibes, which of course, I love.


























Emily Blunt in Alexander McQueen

I love the top half of this dress, and the detail in the lace is incredible, but I do think I would have loved it even more if the skirt was more of a column style, rather than the sort of hanging bits trailing at the bottom. Some critics didn't like the colour, but when I saw it on TV is was more of a silver than a grey, and was very pretty I thought.



 

 Taraji P. Henson in Vera Wang Collection

For comparison, see my post on last year's Oscars to see what Vera Wang put her in then. I do believe that Ms. Wang may have begun to redeem herself with this gown. I would have preferred if the plunge wasn't quite as plunging, but overall I love this. On camera the colour of the velvet was a dark forest green which you can't really see her, and her skin was absolutely glowing. I am so glad that velvet has made a comeback over the past few years, because I love it!






 Elisabeth Moss in Dior Haute Couture

This is one of my very favorite looks of the night. I read that this tuxedo mini dress is actually a very dark navy, and I wish that I had seen her walking the red carpet on TV, because in photos it looks very black. I usually prefer long dresses for awards shows like this, but I really don't have anything bad to say about this whole look.































 Regina King in Alberta Ferretti

This is another top pick for me. I love absolutely everything about this, and I do find it hard to resist anything metallic pink! It really is just perfection, and a fabulous dress to accept her Golden Globe in!

Lady Gaga in Maison Valentino
 
This was definitely the most talked about look of the evening and personally, I love it! If Lady Gaga brought anything less than drama I would be so sad. This is obviously a lot of dress, and few could pull it off, but I think she makes it work. I am getting serious Cinderella vibes and I love that she matched her hair to her gown. Gaga always fully commits to a look, and I truly appreciate it. I can't wait to see what she wears to the Oscars!



 The Worst


 

Rachel Weisz in Celine

All I can think of when I look at this is a sad French clown. I actually had a very similar gown in my dress up box when I was about 6. I loved it, so I suppose I didn't know about sad clowns back then.  When fashion forgets to flatter a woman's body, nothing much good will happen.












 Janelle Monae in Chanel

Ugghh, I hate Chanel on the red carpet. This is just a total hot mess, from the belt, to the bib, the layered skirt, and the HAT. Why? This just makes no sense whatsoever to me.


 

Keri Russell in Monique Lhullier

 
The top half of this gown is so terrible. It's too low, too baggy and totally unflattering. I want to shake some of these stylists! How can you let you client leave you wearing something that literally does nothing for them at all? Poor Keri.





Anne Hathaway in Elie Saab

This is the worst look of the night for me. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love leopard print, but this is an example of when leopard goes really wrong. There is just way too much going on, and nothing works together. A leopard gown is very tricky thing. For it to work it should be a very simple silhouette. This stiff fabric does not work at all, and I hate the shiny bodice. It's dresses like this that make people say leopard is tacky.

















   

Emma Stone in Louis Vuitton

For me this was the biggest disappointment of the night. Usually Emma Stone brings the fashion and I love her looks, but this is bad. Extremely unflattering, it looks like it was meant for a woman 40 years older. I was really let down by this one, and I am hoping for better things from her at the Oscars!